# Aging CCs



## HeavySmoke (Apr 9, 2006)

I wanted to ask some experienced Gorillas a question regarding aging CCs. I went back and read old threads about aging. Several opinions surfaced regarding what is a "good" age and a "peak" age. But I do not understand why the gap so far apart. Most "good" or "great" years fell between 2 through 4 years old. Peak was normally denoted at 10-15 years old. I understand the aging/chemical process. Does waiting more then 4 years make that big of a difference? Is it like night and day?


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## Diselfitter (May 20, 2006)

Wow.. That is a tough question to really answer. 
Not Unlike wine, both are Organic and Tannic in nature. 
To pin point a time line and say when is a cigar most ready to smoke in terms of aging is pretty difficult to say. 
There are so many variables. 
The tobacco is different from crop to crop. and year to year. 
Not to mention if there are any shortages in certain tobacco leaf, like Ligero.. or if the cigar blend has been changed for what ever reason. .. Those things can affect how long to age a cigar. 

Then there is personal preference. Do you like a more tannic/ young tasting cigar? 
or do you like them to be more refined and more complex... and are willing to trade off for the more aggressive flavors? 

Personally I try them shortly after I receive them.. I give them time to adjust and climatize in my humidor. 
after that I give it a try... If the flavors are to aggressive, and the cigar is displaying a very tannic taste.. I know to put them down for a while. Depending on how much time is based on what I experience. 
take for example the monte #1 from 05
I found the Cigar to be rather one dimensional and overly tannic for my taste, and it lacked the complexity that I expected. 
So I am going to put the rest away and check them in a year.. and see how that goes. 

Conversely when I had an 03.. a year ago.. I was pleased with what I am smoking, and will continue to smoke them. 
I could let them age more.. But I like what I am getting from them now. 

The Partagas 898 Varn. I Like them more when younger. 
I learned that when they have more age on them they have mellowed out too much for my taste. 

The Chiox Supreme... I still have some from 98.. and they are just beautiful... Very nice complexity, with a touch of floralness from them. 

The Sig III from 03 are a great smoke now. 
and the Sig III from 2000 are just as wonderful. 

I guess what I am saying is that I don't really know the hard answer you seek.. I leave it up to what I like from the different cigars and the years they were produced to determine how long to age them. 

There are just too many variables for me to say 5 years or what ever is the right time to age them. 
If it is smoking great to you ... then enjoy. 
If not.... Put the rest away, and check on them later. 


Deez


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## mosesbotbol (Sep 21, 2005)

*Diselfitter* brought up some good points. It comes down to your taste and the particular cigar. I don't feel you're doing the cigar a disservice by smoking them under what some books say to do. It's different than wine in that regard; a younger cigar has it's own virtues, while wine that is too young, is just too young.


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## opus (Jun 21, 2005)

There are so many variables that it is hard to have black and white answers to aging questions. Some cigars age in a linear fashion and others do not. Storage conditons vary greatly. Cigars vary from year to year, brand to brand, which vitola, who rolled it. Cigars in the same box can vary. And in the end, how and where the cigar is smoked and by whom can alter the perception of ready or not. I get a headache trying to figure it all out. There are some very general statements, and they have been espoused before. Good luck.


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## onlyonerm (Mar 18, 2006)

Diselfitter said:


> Wow.. That is a tough question to really answer.
> Not Unlike wine, both are Organic and Tannic in nature.
> To pin point a time line and say when is a cigar most ready to smoke in terms of aging is pretty difficult to say.
> There are so many variables.
> ...


You mention that sometimes the young cigars taste to Tannic, not being a huge wine drinker could you try to explain what that taste is??


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## Diselfitter (May 20, 2006)

Tannic...I consider that to be rather a raw taste..Best way to understand what Tannic is: Bite down on a grape seed. and you will lfind out. 
I am not saying that the cigar will have the same taste as the grape seed.. but once you get a feeling of what tannic is.. you can apply that to other things as well. Such as Wine.


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## Corona Gigante-cl (Sep 8, 2005)

I'd say tannic is like a cup of tea that's been brewed too long. It's the stuff that seems to coat you teeth and tongue. Stale and a little bitter.

P.S. Excellent info, deez. You're obviously wise beyond your ring gauge!


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## NCRadioMan (Feb 28, 2005)

I can't answer your question but all the best cigars I have had, have been at least 8 years old. 

:ms NCRM's :2


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## HeavySmoke (Apr 9, 2006)

First and Foremost Thank you Deez for the great response. Though not black and white you gave me the asnwers I was looking for. Im pickin' what your puttin' down.  

Thanks also to OpusXoX, Mosesbotbol and NCRadioMan. I respect your opinions as well.

:u


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## Desert Rat (Dec 19, 2005)

HeavySmoke said:


> I _*don't*_ understand the aging/chemical process.


You hit the nail on the head (with a little editing)-nobody understands the aging process well enough to answer your question.

As disel and opus said, there are too many variables involved to understand the aging process well enough to predict the maturation date of any one particular cigar.

Thats why we use trial and error  .


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## Diselfitter (May 20, 2006)

Corona Gigante said:


> I'd say tannic is like a cup of tea that's been brewed too long. It's the stuff that seems to coat you teeth and tongue. Stale and a little bitter.
> 
> P.S. Excellent info, deez. You're obviously wise beyond your ring gauge!


Nice anology as well. It was too early in the morning for me to think straight But Idid want to give an answer that was easy to understand.

Yours is excellent.

Deez


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## One Lonely Smoker (Jan 21, 2005)

HeavySmoke said:


> I wanted to ask some experienced Gorillas a question regarding aging CCs. I went back and read old threads about aging. Several opinions surfaced regarding what is a "good" age and a "peak" age. But I do not understand why the gap so far apart. Most "good" or "great" years fell between 2 through 4 years old. Peak was normally denoted at 10-15 years old. I understand the aging/chemical process. Does waiting more then 4 years make that big of a difference? Is it like night and day?


How long you wait had better be determined by your taste in cigars. As DF pointed out, you may wake up one day and discover that your tastes have completely changed, and you have aged the part you liked most right out of your cigars. Only the most delicate and capable palates might end up really enjoying an old cigar. I have personally found that with the newer cigars coming out, I like the fresh taste just fine. I collected the cigars I have to make it easier to smoke a "aged" cigar whenever I wanted one. That has come to pass. But as for detecting "finesse" in an old cigar, I don't think I can do it. I can tell it's smooth, I can tell it's creamy or peppery, but my old ass taste buds just don't pick up weak cigars that well. So my aging advice is to pick some of the strongest cigars available to use for aging. Then remember what aging is. Aging is leaving the cigars alone, buryng them deep and letting them rot. If you just want to perfect the art of holding a box until it is ready to begin smoking, pick something you like and keep 2-3 boxes on hand at all times. Truth is no one knows what is happening with blends and curing and aging potential right now, and the 10-12 year old "night and day" difference you sought might never happen. You may find that you can't enjoy your aged prize when it's time comes. It will still be valuable, provided you took care of it, but it might have lost all it's cocoa to be replaced by woody. Or it's peppery taste is just toasty tobacco. Like the guys said, taste occasionally and enjoy your cigars while they taste best to YOU. Aged to perfection is a long road with many exits.


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## HeavySmoke (Apr 9, 2006)

More good advice. Thanks One Lonely Smoker .


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## MoTheMan (May 24, 2003)

Corona Gigante said:


> P.S. Excellent info, deez. You're obviously wise beyond your ring gauge!


. . . And his RG is catching up to his wisdom!


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## Diselfitter (May 20, 2006)

Aaawwwww Shucks ... now ya got me Blushin... LOL


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## drrgill (Jan 1, 2000)

Im a simple man...If I have some extra money then I have extra cigars and some are aging..weeks months years(very seldom). I am the same way with wine its like having CASH setting in a Humidor. Maybe someday... Maybe someday!!

Drrgill


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## One Lonely Smoker (Jan 21, 2005)

The more I thought about your question the more I realized I had told you what I WANTED you to know about what I wanted to talk about.
:al 
Not what you wanted to know. In my own limited expereince with modern- era aged smokes, the extra 10-12 years are not worth it from a smokers perspective. As a premium to be added to a box that someone wanted to buy from you, it is worth it. If you keep your smokes in top form for 15 years and in the original packaging, opening only for 3-6 month inspections, you should realize quite a good return on your investment of time and hassle. If you were to smoke them, there is a good chance you would be hynotized by their subtle nuances and smooth, delicate havana flavor. Or you could find them to be completely bland and flavorless. But like I said, if you took care of them, someone would pay dearly for them after the embargo lifts. When you break it down, it works out that it will likely be YOU who can best answer the question when the time comes. It will depend on the kind of power you expect from a Havana cigar. Believe me, if you keep at this for 15 years, there are few aged cigars that will be able to kick you in the face at age 15. If you value mildness, smoothness, finesse and discovering flavors through intense concentration, you might feel the whole experiment was worth it. If you need raw, barely fermented power, you will have a bunch of cigars you can't really enjoy.
For taste, I do not think it is worth holding my own stash longer than 5 years before smoking. Those I am holding onto as investments will not be touched until they are sold, no matter when that may be.


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## MoTheMan (May 24, 2003)

Diselfitter said:


> Aaawwwww Shucks ... now ya got me Blushin... LOL


Bro', honestly, you earned it!

BTW, here's another thread that somewhat talks about "aging" and "cooking" tobaccos.


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## HeavySmoke (Apr 9, 2006)

MoTheMan said:


> Bro', honestly, you earned it!
> 
> BTW, here's another thread that somewhat talks about "aging" and "cooking" tobaccos.


Mo thanks. I missed this string in the archive as I was mostly searching for the word "age". Bio-chem background aye? Interesting. Thanks for the help ! Have a good Memorial day weekend.....:u :u


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## HeavySmoke (Apr 9, 2006)

One Lonely Smoker said:


> The more I thought about your question the more I realized I had told you what I WANTED you to know about what I wanted to talk about.
> :al
> Not what you wanted to know. In my own limited expereince with modern- era aged smokes, the extra 10-12 years are not worth it from a smokers perspective.
> 
> Good information and advice. Thank you!  I would really hate to fight the tempation for 10-15 years only to find out it really makes no significant difference. You guys are slowing making me a connoisseur..... lol....who knew?


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## dayplanner (Dec 11, 1997)

Heavy,

Let me take a different tack in answering your question. On other forums, I've debated the chemistry of aging but I don't think that would be constructive here.

The two intervals you noted roughly correspond to "mature" and "aged" cigars. Mature cigars have progressed beyond the initial rough settling in and have converted the raw ingredients of the leaf into the first milder forms. In other words, the rough edges have been honed off. This occurs in the first 1-10 years. 

After this period, say the next 15-?? years, more chemistry occurs and various rebalances are achieved. The cigar may evolve quite dramatically over this period. 

The long term aging of cigars is first and foremost a question of economics. Rather than belabor this thread with an analysis, suffice it to say the more you smoke, the more money you must invest to insure sufficient aged stocks in the long term. Chemical engineers are aware of the classic relationship INPUT-OUTPUT=ACCUMULATION and this describes the situation precisely. Secondly, the long term aging of cigars is one which requires a tremendous commitment in terms of time, effort and resources. Frankly, I don't love cigars that much and I have my daughter's college fund to think of.

And, as One Lonely states, it is a crapshoot. Anyone who does this and is honest will admit to having encountered boxes that just flat out disappointed after 10-20 years. It happens. 

My take on aging of cigars is as follows. 
1) Accumulate a reasonable cache of new cigars based on available funds
2) Make sure storage conditions are perfect for the extent of aging required
3) Smoke them slowy and grow old along with my cigars

Sure, you can seek out and pay a premium for pre-aged sticks, but unless you are damned sure that the box has been well cared for, the risk is yours. I've done it and I've been sorely disappointed. 

Wilkey


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## HeavySmoke (Apr 9, 2006)

Good points. Thank you good Doctor.....


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